MANGINO OUT, SANCHEZ DOESN'T SLIDE & THE DUCKS PREVAIL
Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins made it official Thursday night, head football coach Mark Mangino resigned. There wasn't a news conference, the announcement was just slipped in during the Oregon State-Oregon game. Perkins said in his statement that the investigation into allegations Mangino had verbally & physically abused some players was complete. He said an agreement had been reached & Mangino had resigned. He added he couldn't comment on the investigation per the agreement. So what the hell really happened? It seems to me that Mangino might have settled for less than the $6.6 million buyout he was due so the facts of the investigation would be hushed up forever. It remains to be seen if some of the parents & the major boosters will get on board with what is essentially a cover up. No one is supposed to know what the investigation uncovered, no one knows the amount of his buyout either. Now the speculation can begin in earnest as to who will be the next Jayhawk coach. The popular names include Houston's Kevin Sumlin, UConn's Randy Edsall, East Carolina's Skip Holtz(yeah, Lou's kid) & Texas A&M offensive coordinator Nolan Cromwell.
I told you yesterday that the Jets had borrowed Yankee manager Joe Girardi for a few days in an attempt to teach rookie QB Mark Sanchez how to slide. So Thursday night, the Jets played Buffalo in Toronto, Sanchez scrambles out of the pocket in the 3rd quarter & instead of sliding when the defenders closed in, he dove. He got the first down, but in the process, he injured his knee & couldn't play the rest of the night. Jets' coach Rex Ryan said after the game he thought Sanchez could play a week from Sunday. Ryan was obviously agitated that Sanchez had once again failed to slide & made it clear to him after the game, he is the future of the franchise & he has to slide, eliminating much of the risk of injury. Kids, whatta ya gonna do?
Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator, Gunther Cunningham, wants to go back to 'the good old days'. He hates the 4 & 5 wide receiver formations, he hates the shotgun, the wildcat & longs for the days of Jim Brown running the ball between the tackles. Cunningham complained "the sad thing is the NFL's going towards the college game & I hate it." The 63-year old might as well said "you damn kids get off my lawn!" I thought the game had passed him by during his second stint as defensive coordinator with the Chiefs. Not having Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, Dan Saleaumua & James Hasty had a lot to do with the lack of success under Dick Vermeil. I think Gun might be near the end of his coaching career, problem is, I don't think he wants to retire, coaching is all this guy knows.
The Civil War for bragging rights in the state of Oregon, the PAC-10 title & a Rose Bowl bid went to the Oregon Ducks in a closely fought 37-33 game. Oregon State actually played a better first half, cashing all 5 redzone chances for 2 touchdowns & 3 field goals. Turned out to be too many field goals. The Beavers looked even better after taking the 3rd quarter kickoff & motoring down the field to score 7 points. But it seemed to me the game turned when the Ducks got in OSU QB Sean Canfield's face. Enter suspended running back LeGarrette Blount, he hadn't taken a snap since the opening night loss in Boise & the Ducks O-line blocked a little better & Blount pounded in a score from 12-yards out. The Beavers were held to a field goal late in the 3rd quarter & they never scored again. LaMichael James broke a 52-yard run for the go-ahead score & they tacked on a field goal for the final margin. Both teams will be good again next year, Canfield & Duck TE Ed Dickson are the only senior skill position players on either team. It was a very entertaining game & I was on the right side with Oregon State getting 9 1/2 points, which is a good thing.
I've spent over an hour trying to find an edge in the MAC Championship game between Ohio & Central Michigan tonight. But if it's there, I missed it, so I won't make a play.
I told you yesterday that the Jets had borrowed Yankee manager Joe Girardi for a few days in an attempt to teach rookie QB Mark Sanchez how to slide. So Thursday night, the Jets played Buffalo in Toronto, Sanchez scrambles out of the pocket in the 3rd quarter & instead of sliding when the defenders closed in, he dove. He got the first down, but in the process, he injured his knee & couldn't play the rest of the night. Jets' coach Rex Ryan said after the game he thought Sanchez could play a week from Sunday. Ryan was obviously agitated that Sanchez had once again failed to slide & made it clear to him after the game, he is the future of the franchise & he has to slide, eliminating much of the risk of injury. Kids, whatta ya gonna do?
Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator, Gunther Cunningham, wants to go back to 'the good old days'. He hates the 4 & 5 wide receiver formations, he hates the shotgun, the wildcat & longs for the days of Jim Brown running the ball between the tackles. Cunningham complained "the sad thing is the NFL's going towards the college game & I hate it." The 63-year old might as well said "you damn kids get off my lawn!" I thought the game had passed him by during his second stint as defensive coordinator with the Chiefs. Not having Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, Dan Saleaumua & James Hasty had a lot to do with the lack of success under Dick Vermeil. I think Gun might be near the end of his coaching career, problem is, I don't think he wants to retire, coaching is all this guy knows.
The Civil War for bragging rights in the state of Oregon, the PAC-10 title & a Rose Bowl bid went to the Oregon Ducks in a closely fought 37-33 game. Oregon State actually played a better first half, cashing all 5 redzone chances for 2 touchdowns & 3 field goals. Turned out to be too many field goals. The Beavers looked even better after taking the 3rd quarter kickoff & motoring down the field to score 7 points. But it seemed to me the game turned when the Ducks got in OSU QB Sean Canfield's face. Enter suspended running back LeGarrette Blount, he hadn't taken a snap since the opening night loss in Boise & the Ducks O-line blocked a little better & Blount pounded in a score from 12-yards out. The Beavers were held to a field goal late in the 3rd quarter & they never scored again. LaMichael James broke a 52-yard run for the go-ahead score & they tacked on a field goal for the final margin. Both teams will be good again next year, Canfield & Duck TE Ed Dickson are the only senior skill position players on either team. It was a very entertaining game & I was on the right side with Oregon State getting 9 1/2 points, which is a good thing.
I've spent over an hour trying to find an edge in the MAC Championship game between Ohio & Central Michigan tonight. But if it's there, I missed it, so I won't make a play.
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